No Need For A Knight
by Takara Phoenix
Summary: A serial rapist is on the loose. And Shinichi is being his usual careless self. What's a poor thief to do with such a dense detective? KaiShin, slash


DC || KaiShin || MK || KaiShin || DC || No Need For A Knight || DC || KaiShin || MK || KaiShin || DC

Title: No Need For A Knight – But Sometimes He Comes In Handy

Fandom: Magic Kaitou; Detective Conan

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Gosho Aoyama for he created the awesomeness that is Kaitou KID. Ah, and Detective Conan, too. The story in itself though is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: shounen-ai, failed rape

Main Pairing: KaiShin

Side Pairings: SaguAo, HeiShin (one-sided), MakoSono (mentioned)

Magic Kaitou Characters: Kaito Kuroba, Saguru Hakuba, Nakamouri Aoko, Nakamouri Ginzou

Detective Conan Characters: Kudou Shinichi, Sera Masumi, Suzuki Sonoko, Hattori Heiji

Own Character: Takahashi Koiji

Summary: Nakamouri-keibu is on his way home after the last heist when he receives a strange call. Kudou Shinichi, asking him a favor, regarding a rapist on the loose. How will a certain white-clad thief react to such a thing?

**No Need For A Knight**

_But Sometimes He Comes In Handy_

Kaito yawned irritated. The heist had been loud and eventful enough, how did he end on the backseat of Nakamouri's car, listening to the never-ending rants of the inspector, his daughter and the annoying British detective? Rolling his eyes he tried to ignore the noise in favor of repeating the past heist in his mind.

It was pretty awesome, he had to admit. It was a ball – not any ball, mind you, the annually police ball. It was so exciting to sneak away from his best friend's watchful gaze and, more importantly, said best friend's boyfriend's hawk-eyes. Though he was very disappointed that his tantei-kun didn't come. He had even seen the Mouri detective and tantei-chan and tantei-han.

Most people were still at the ball, but Nakamouri's temper was too short to stay without ruining the mood, so Aoko had pulled him and their two other companions to their car. The magician sat in the front, the inspector was driving, his daughter and her boyfriend on the backseat.

The antsy feeling wouldn't go away and Kaito shifted in his seat. Normally, he would relieve that pent-up energy in a little duel of wits with tantei-kun, he grew so used to it by now. Two years with the cute, little Edogawa Conan and now half a year with the pretty, fully-grown Kudou Shinichi. While tantei-kun wasn't able to attend every heist in the body of an elementary scholar, he hadn't missed a single one since his return. Something was wrong with this. Did something happen? He had seen the Suzuki heir with her boyfriend. He had seen Sera Masumi and also Hattori Heiji. All three roommates of his favorite critic. Why did they come without tantei-kun?

His musings and worries were interrupted by a beeping sound. The inspector grunted annoyed before putting his phone on loudspeaker so he could keep driving.

"Who bothers?", barked Nakamouri irritated.

"Nakamouri-keibu", ringed a – at least in Kaito's ears – beautiful voice (as long as he won't sing).

"Kudou-kun?", blinked the inspector surprised. "What do you want?"

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Why? What kind of favor?", grunted the adult suspiciously.

"A favor regarding Takahashi Koiji", was the neutral answer.

The air got knocked out of the three teenagers as they were thrown against their seat-belts, because Ginzou hit the brakes hard. Indigo-violet eyes were wide in panic.

"What do you mean by that? Don't tell me you're foolish enough to chase a rapist like him on your own!", screamed Nakamouri enraged.

Everyone in the area knew of Takahashi Koiji, a serial rapist, who first stalked his victims, got to know their time-schedules, their favorite bars or restaurants or cafés or diners, just to somehow slip them something in their drink. He then followed them home, where he hand-cuffed them to their own beds and raped them in their own four walls. He was highly psychopathic and sadistic, enjoying the power he had over them and the fear they would forever feel in their own homes, usually he used a knife to leave some kind of scar on their bodies, as a constant reminder of what had happened to them. Most who fit the preferred type of victim wouldn't even dare leaving their houses on their own anymore. It was the reason Saguru and Kaito were right now sitting in the inspector's car, he wouldn't allow them out alone with a teenage-boys-chasing rapist on the loose.

The phantom thief gulped, his eyes wide in fear. Leave it up to tantei-kun to chase the most wanted criminal in Tokyo on his own! His tantei-kun wasn't allowed to pull such reckless stunts!

"No, not even I am stupid enough to do so", chuckled Kudou.

The air in the car calmed down and Ginzou drove off again, relieve filling the four.

"Well then, what do you want?", pressed the inspector.

"Like I said, I need a favor. I would appreciate it if you could send someone over to my place."

"Why? You're living in Megure's jurisdiction. Stop beating around the bush, boy."

A sigh was heaved and they could hear how uncomfortable Kudou felt.

"Takahashi Koiji is right now laying unconscious in my bedroom. I want you to send someone over, because I really don't need to explain to Takagi-keiji or someone else I'm working with on a nearly daily base what had happened. And I would appreciate it if you could hurry, because I don't really know how long he'll be out. Considering the weary, dull state I'm in I doubt I hit him very hard..."

Instead of hitting the brakes, he stamped full-force onto the gas-petal, changing directions.

"Moronic, idiotic, stupid detective brat!", hissed Ginzou under his breath. "Why don't you say that from the beginning? We're on our way." He threw a meaningful glance at Hakuba, who was already dialing the number of their police station for reinforcement. "Stay on the line. I need to know if he wakes up. Are you alright?"

"A bit drugged. Maybe a bit much. A lot bit much", giggled the detective uncharacteristically.

Kaito knitted his eyebrows in worry. He had noticed how slurry his favorite critic sounded, growing more so the longer he talked, his words sounding forced, like he was fighting not to fall asleep.

"Stay awake!", instructed the thief hastily.

It wouldn't do them any good if Shinichi would fall asleep. Maybe that creep would wake up in that time and do indescribable things to his tantei-kun! A startled sound was heard through the phone.

"Who's that?", asked the detective.

"A friend of my daughter. I was just about to drive them home from the ball", explained Ginzou.

"Ah... I'm sorry I interrupted your evening, then", muttered the detective, dragging the vocals longer than necessary.

His speech got worse with every passing second, the drug obviously starting to kick in fully. Kaito wasn't the only one to notice, he could hear the half-Brit barking something about 'Then hurry your lazy ass off that ball and get moving!', certainly the first time ever he had heard the blonde use any kind of foul-language. The inspector sped through the streets and Aoko chewed her lips in worry.

"Do you have any means of getting out of the house?", wanted Kaito to know.

"You sound familiar", noted the Heisei Holmes interested, his mind still working like a detectives, even though the magician imagined him to stare fascinated at his hand while talking. "No I can't, he handcuffed me to the bed and I don't have the key. And I'm really, really bad as a lock-pick. Heh, funny word. Lock-pick. Try saying that ten times in a row. Lock-pick, lock-pick, pock-lick..."

Again the detective was giggling. And as much as Kaito would appreciate the sound and try teasing him about it under normal circumstances, it worried him right now out of his mind.

"Yeah, that's really a funny word. How did you get your cellphone?", pressed the magician.

"It fell under the bed and I was able to reach it after I knocked him out. I kicked him. Hard. They don't like that", giggled the detective. "What's your name? I'm Kudou Shinichi, I'm a detective."

"I know who you are, Kudou-kun", chuckled the thief darkly. "I'm Kuroba Kaito, I'm a magician."

"A magician? That's pretty awesome", noted the detective captivated.

"That's good, Kaito, keep him talking, we need him to stay awake", mouthed Ginzou, staring worried at the clock and the street.

At least another ten minutes until they would arrive. Many things could happen in ten minutes. People could get hurt. Shinichi could get hurt. That madman could wake up and finish what he had... had he already started? What did he do to tantei-kun? Don't go there, Kaito. Think of something positive, concentrate on keeping the detective awake.

"Yeah? You think magic is awesome?"

"Yeah. When I was younger, my parents often took me to magic shows, because a friend of them was a magician. My kaa-san used to learn from him. His name was...", the detective went silent.

"Kudou-kun? Can you hear me? Are you still awake? Say something!", urged Kaito.

Aoko clawed her fingers into the seat in front of her, staring frantically at the cellphone.

"Huh? Yeah, I just got distracted... What were we talking about?", yawned Shinichi.

"About magic", sighed the messy-haired teen relieved.

The girl fell back against the seat, breathing deeply. For a second she had thought the detective had fallen asleep. Sure, she didn't know him all that well, but she knew him at least a bit, he after all often crossed paths with her boyfriend. He was nice and well-mannered and always surrounded by four children, which she found pretty cute. She made a mental note to befriend the brunette detective. After all, she couldn't let her friends get hurt.

"Mh... Magic is awesome... Kaitou KID does magic...", murmured the Heisei Holmes.

"You saying Kaitou KID is awesome?", asked the thief with a cheeky grin.

"No way, he doesn't need that ego boost", giggled the detective.

"What? It's not like he could hear you!" Which he totally could, because he was talking to him.

"Don't tell anyone, but I think he's observing me... I know it sounds crazy, Hattori always tells me so, too, but I can't help it. There's that dove that always sits on my window-sill and I'm sure it's his. I think the dove is stalking me", whispered Shinichi conspiratorially.

Kaito blinked astonished. So the detective had noticed it after all. And he had so hoped Tama-chan had gone unnoticed. How was he kidding, really? He was talking about tantei-kun, after all.

"Okay, so KID-san is stalking you. Did you do something to him that he feels the need to keep an eye on you, or do you think he spies on all his chasers?"

"I've checked Masumi-chan's bedroom, there's no dove. And in Hattori's isn't one either. Nakamouri-keibu, do you have a dove following you?"

"I... No, I don't", grunted the inspector irritated.

"See. It must be me. I wonder why...", mused the detective confused.

"Maybe you did something to offend him?" Or maybe he is madly in love with you?

"Mh... I sometimes kick soccer balls after him. But he's pretty good at dodging them by now."

Yeah, years of training thanks to tantei-kun. There's nothing to keep you in shape like a soccer-freak chasing you with his wicked gadgets.

"Kudou-kun", interrupted Saguru.

"Hakuba-kun! It's nice hearing your voice!", they could hear the broad smile even through the phone. "You should come over more often, you know? It's always fun talking to you."

"Why yes, it is also nice to talk to you, though I prefer your mind not clouded by drugs", replied the half-Brit. "Say, where are your roommates? Are you alone at home?"

"They're on the ball. The police ball. Because Hattori's parents even came from Osaka to attend it, too. He had met them for lunch and showed them around town before the ball, he said we would meet there then."

"And the others?", wondered the blonde.

"Sonoko left earlier with Masumi-chan, because she wanted to get to a hairdresser. She wanted them to look the most pretty possible. Though I'm not sure if that's for Makoto-kun or for KID-san. I said I would come later, too. They're most likely still there. I hope they don't worry too much."

"I'm sure they're fine, Kudou-kun", smiled Aoko.

"...That must be your daughter then, Nakamouri-keibu?", concluded Shinichi.

"Yes, I'm Nakamouri Aoko", introduced the girl herself. "Say, are you alright? Are you hurt? You never answered that question, aside from saying that you're drugged."

"If you're Nakamouri-keibu's daughter, are you anti-KID then? Because I really can't imagine dinner at the Nakamouris and a full-blown KID-war breaking loose", mused the detective.

"I am anti-KID", nodded the inspector's daughter. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Which question?", asked the Heisei Holmes confused.

"Are you hurt? Did... Did he hurt you?"

She had noticed that her boyfriend had finished his call. He could call an ambulance to the Kudou mansion now. The earlier they called, the earlier the ambulance would arrive.

"I think I may be bleeding, though I'm sure not where... that didn't sound right... My head hurts. He hit me upside the head, because the drugs didn't kick in when he expected them to. But I doubt I have a concussion. I've barely been unconscious before I woke up again."

"You said something about blood", pointed the girl out, slight panic rising in her chest again.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. But I'm alright. I think. Damn, my carpet has a funny pattern."

So not alright. The drugs made him not feel the pain, guessed Kaito. Both he and his best friend stared at Hakuba, who had the cellphone already pressed against his ear again.

"Aoko-chan? Is Kai-chan still there?", wanted the detective to know.

"I—Uh, yeah, I'm still there. Why?"

"Mh... I like your voice", smiled the Heisei Holmes.

"Eh, thank you", muttered Kaito with a blush.

Maybe he should try getting a hold of those drug. He started liking the drugged tantei-kun, he was way more affectionate and emotional than the sober-minded, calculating Shinichi.

"If you're a magician, but also a friend of the keibu's daughter and of Sagu-chan", the half-Brit flinched at the horrific shortening of his name, though he let it slip due to the state his fellow detective was in right now. "Are you pro-KID or anti-KID?"

"I'm the biggest KID-fan ever!", grinned the magician broadly.

"Objection! The biggest KID-fan ever is living under this roof. Or did you ever get your parents to buy some really expensive and totally ugly jewelry just so KID-san would come to steal it? And force every detective you know, which are three of us after all, to attend every heist, just so one of them may catch him for you? And she got, like, every fan-article out there! I'm even... I had been wearing boxer-shorts with KID-smileys on them. Where are my...?"

Kaito gasped and for once not in a good way. Normally the thought of a naked tantei-kun would be more than welcomed. But the thought of a naked tantei-kun, drugged, handcuffed and all alone with a psychopathic rapist? Lady Luck favored him, couldn't she help them arriving there earlier?

His heartbeat quickened when he heard a groan through the phone. A groan that was certainly not coming from his favorite critic.

"You little shit", the new voice was raspy and sounded pained.

"K—Kai-chan, can you please hurry and get here?", whispered Shinichi before the line went dead.

"Damn! Can't this car go any faster?", cursed the magician on edge.

He didn't receive any kind of answer, though. The inspector's eyebrows were knitted and he was gripping the steering-wheel so hard that Kaito feared it would break at any moment. Then, finally, the Kudou mansion came into view. The magician jumped out of the car even before it was parked. He ran up to the house, ignoring the calls of the others, picking the lock on the door, sprinting up the stairs to the bedroom of his favorite critic. He knew it would come in handy that he had the blueprints of the Kudou mansion. Even before be opened the door, he pulled his card-gun. The man – in his forties, salt-and-pepper-haired, a three-days-beard – was leaning over his tantei-kun, his jeans pulled down half-way, the teen on the bed naked except for his dress-shirt, which was ripped open, too. Anger overtook him and he shot, cutting the bastard's arm open, causing him to fall off the bed. He just wanted to get that guy when a strangled sound made him focus solemnly on the detective, who looked confused and frightened at him. Kaito snapped his fingers and in a puff of pink smoke the handcuffs disappeared from Shinichi's wrists and reappeared tying the rapist to the closet. In a hurry the magician sat on the bed next to the detective.

"Hey, everything's alright", assured the thief.

Shinichi scrunched his eyebrows, obviously trying very hard to concentrate on his face. His worried frown was soon replace by a relieved smile.

"You're Kai-chan, right? I knew you'd hurry", grinned the blue-eyed teen. "Say, Kai-chan?" He yawned widely. "Can I sleep now? This was all pretty exhausting, you know..."

Before the messy-haired teen could answer, he had a lap full of sound-asleep detective.

Loud cursing was what woke him up next.

"Sonoko-chan, calm down, you're waking him! He should rest!", hissed a female voice.

"Too late for that, Masumi-chan", murmured the brunette detective sleepily.

"Kudou! Are you alright?", asked Hattori in a rush, gripping his hand tightly.

"I'm perfectly fine, if still a bit dizzy", replied Shinichi irritated. "What exactly happened?"

"Well, you got drugged by a psycho because you didn't want to come with me, instead being on your own and going to a freaking diner on your own!", growled the dark-skinned detective.

"The drug didn't kick in right away and you managed to knock him out and call Nakamouri-keibu. The inspector arrived soon enough and called an ambulance", added Sera.

"Oh... Alright", nodded the Heisei Holmes. "And since when are you here? Since when am I here?"

"Yesterday, after the ball. Hakuba-kun called me and told me they brought you to the hospital. You know how much you scared me wit that?", muttered the Osakan with sad eyes.

"We've been here all night", sighed Sonoko, her eyebrows knitted in worry.

"What time is it?", wondered the Heisei Holmes. "Shouldn't you be in university?"

"Like hell we'd leave you like that! You nearly got raped!", screamed Heiji enraged.

Shinichi flinched and stared at him. "So what? I'm still alive. You shouldn't neglect your studies."

"Are you sure it's alright...?", asked Masumi with one raised eyebrow.

"Of course. I feel great. Get out of here!", ushered the brunette detective.

"Well, then. I mean, you got someone to bring you back home... Ah, yeah! Greetings to him when he returns! We should leave if we want to get to our first lesson", muttered Sonoko.

The blonde grabbed the other girl's hand and ran out of the room, leaving the boys alone.

"Wait! What? Who?", blinked the Heisei Holmes, staring after the retreating girls.

"This Kuroba-kun. He had been here the entire time. He was the one telling us what had happened, because Hakuba-kun and Nakamouri-keibu were busy with that bastard and the paper works", grunted Hattori.

"Oh... Really?", whispered Shinichi surprised.

"He hadn't left your side since they found you. Nakamouri-chan and Hakuba-kun arrived this morning to get him for some breakfast, though the had a hard time getting him to leave at all", nodded the dark-skinned detective. "How do you know that guy?"

"I don't", answered the blue-eyed detective.

"Right. That's the reason he was practically glued to your hand the last few hours", snorted Hattori irritated and crossed his arms.

"You know, you should follow them before Sonoko throws a fit", murmured the Heisei Holmes, just to get the other out, because Heiji's mood was dragging his own down.

"Right", growled the Osakan angered and stood.

The dark-skinned teen turned with a huff and stalked over to the door.

"Hattori! Why are you angry this time?", called Shinichi after him in confusion.

Heiji stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around, fixing his best friend with an enraged glare.

"When nee-chan and Kazuha left to study in America and you finally got your body back, I thought you'd understand. But you never understand! You nearly got raped, Kudou!", accused the Osakan.

"I don't see how one thing is connected to the other."

"That's it! You don't see! I love you and all you care about is that stupid thief! You've even been muttering his name in your sleep! The first one you call is Nakamouri-keibu, instead of, for example, me!", screamed Hattori.

"I didn't want to call you", hissed the Heisei Holmes. "You would have brought the cavalry! And I don't need Takagi-keiji and Satou-keiji to look at me like-"

"Like what? Like you're a victim? Let me tell you something; You are the victim! And if it hadn't been for this Kuroba-kun to arrive in time, this bastard would have raped you!"

Shinichi flinched again and averted his eyes, staring out of the window instead. Doves were sitting on the sill, poking their peaks against the glass.

"Hattori-kun", interrupted a calm voice. "You should leave. I just met Suzuki-chan and Sera-chan and they send me to tell you to 'hurry your lazy ass up'."

Indigo-violet eyes bore into the dark-skinned detective, who send a last angered glare at Shinichi before leaving. The messy-haired teen entered the hospital room and closed the door behind him. Deep, blue eyes looked him up and down, before a small smile spread over Kudou's lips.

"You're Kai-chan—I mean, Kuroba-kun", guessed the detective.

Kaito nodded and walked over to the window, opening it and letting some fresh air into the room. He petted the doves on the sill with a sad smile.

"How are you feeling?", asked the thief in a low voice.

"Good. But I guess that's the drug still working. Sonoko told me you've stayed with me all the time... Thank you...", whispered Shinichi, pausing slowly. "Can you... tell me...?"

"Nakamouri-keibu respected your wish. The official version is that you saw the man and cornered him, before you called the inspector. It doesn't say a word about the... attack on you."

The Heisei Holmes sighed in relief and leaned back, before speaking again. "You know, I wasn't really worried. I mean, I'm strong enough to take care of myself. But I also knew you'd come. I just never thought you'd come with Nakamouri-keibu."

"What are you talking about?", asked Kaito confused and stiffened a bit.

"I know your voice... And I also know that dove you're patting over there. It's the one from my window. Oh, and you shot him with your card-gun. That wasn't the wisest thing to do, KID-san."

"I wasn't really thinking about what was wise, I was more thinking about what was fast."

"You're not denying it", chuckled the Heisei Holmes.

"What for, tantei-kun? You're clever. It would be like an insult to deny it now", muttered the thief with a shrug. "So, what are you planning on doing next? Putting me behind bars?"

Silence fell between them. The detective stared down at his hands while the thief stared out of the window, both focused on their own thoughts, until the blue-eyed teen shook his head.

"No, I guess I owe you. I may not be in the need of a rescuer, but this time it was very much appreciated. Thank you. For keeping an eye on me. I'm... sorry for the way I behaved." He paused again, looking up and staring at the thief by the window. "You know, I always pictured our first official meeting – without glasses and monocle – to be... less giggly."

The brunette detective blushed slightly and the magician laughed softly.

"I kind of liked it. Was a nice change to all the thinking you keep doing."

"I'm rather fond of thinking", grunted the Heisei Holmes.

Kaito took Tama-chan and went back to the other's bed, sitting down on the chair next to it.

"That's Tama-chan", smiled the magician.

"The dove that got shot when we were chasing the Imperial Easteregg", nodded Shinichi.

"You remember her", noted Kaito astonished.

Kudou shrugged with a small grin and locked eyes with the cheeky thief.

"Say, what was tantei-han so angry about?", asked the magician slowly.

"I really don't know", grunted Shinichi. "It's not like I wanted to get into that situation! It's not like I chose for all kinds of psychopaths and killers to follow me tail! It's not like it was... my... fault..."

"Calm down, tantei-kun", murmured Kaito and pulled the slightly smaller teen into his arms.

"You know, you didn't have to stay with me", whispered the detective, trying to rub the tears away that threatened to leak.

"I know", chuckled the thief. "But I wanted to. I was worried, tantei-kun. Jeez, I nearly had a heart-attack when you said that you were alone with... I thought he... Gods, I was so worried..."

"KID-san... Can you... What had happened? My memory is kind of blurry... Did he...?", whispered the detective, half afraid of the answer.

Indigo-violet eyes widened and he shook his head. "Jeez, you ask that question kind of late! No, no he didn't. I was just in time. You have a bump on your head where he knocked you out and a rather deep cut on your leg, which got stitched up. Other than that, you're perfectly fine. Physically speaking, that is. Nakamouri-keibu insists on you visiting a shrink, though. That's what he said. Either you do that, or he'll spill the beans about what really had happened."

"Great", groaned the detective and leaned into the embrace some more.

"Well, consider yourself lucky he even lied to begin with", chuckled the thief.

"If I'm... unharmed, when can I get out of here?", asked the smaller teen.

"As soon as you're awake and since you are awake, I could bring you home", suggested Kaito.

"You don't have to", objected the detective.

"But I don't have anything else to do", shrugged the magician and stood.

He snapped his fingers and made a set of clothes appear on the bed.

"Suzuki-chan brought them over", explained Kaito. "You get yourself changed and I'll go and sign your release-papers. Just wait here until I get back."

The thief left the room and Shinichi slowly stood up to get changed, but as soon as he had his shirt on and his boxers, he stopped dead in his tracks. Before he could pull his jeans up, he caught sight of his stitched-up leg. He shuddered and pulled his jeans hastily up.

"The doctor said it'll probably scar", commented the magician, who had just re-entered the room.

"Figures", snorted the smaller brunette and walked up to him.

Kaito offered him his arm and the detective took it reluctantly. They walked to Kaito's car in mutual silence, both enjoying the company of each other. Their drive to the Kudou mansion was also in total silence. Shinichi had the door-handle in an iron-grip, not wanting to open it.

"Well, tantei-kun... I guess it's good-bye then?", voiced the thief slowly.

"No! Wait!", gasped the detective. "Uh... I mean... If you don't have anywhere to be right now, would you mind... staying a bit...?"

"I would love to!", grinned the magician broadly, throwing the door open and ushering Shinichi inside, before closing the door firmly again.

"I highly doubt that I have to give you a tour?", it was more of a statement than a question, really.

Kaito hummed in agreement and led the way into the library, looking around curiously. It looked so much like tantei-kun! It even smelled like him. On the walls were photos, of little Shinichi with Ran and Sonoko, of Conan with the Shounen Tantei-dan, and of Shinichi with his roommates.

"Say, I never really got that. Why are you living with tantei-chan, tantei-han and Suzuki-chan?", wondered the thief, staring at the rather big group-picture.

"Since Masumi-chan had been living in a hotel for the longest time, I asked her if she would like to stay here. The house is big enough, after all. And Hattori kind of invited himself in, after Tooyama-chan and Ran went overseas to study. Don't ask me about Sonoko. I think she was bored out of her mind alone, so she kind of just ended up here, too", shrugged the detective.

"You make it sound like they're stray dogs you picked up from the street", chuckled Kaito.

"Maybe they are. Maybe we all are", hummed Shinichi with a distant look in his eyes.

The magician laughed softly and sat down on the armchair. He stared at the detective curiously.

"Don't feel too homey. I won't pick any more stray dogs, KID-san", warned the Heisei Holmes.

"Mh... I liked it more when you called me Kai-chan", grinned the thief.

Shinichi blushed furiously and looked away. "That was just because I was dru—Dear Lord, please tell me I didn't really call Hakuba-kun Sagu-chan?"

"You did. And you should have seen his face! That was just awesome!"

The detective groaned and tried to hide his face in embarrassment. The magician on the other hand was highly amused by all of this. Inquiring indigo-violet eyes stared at the Heisei Holmes.

"So you remember what we've been talking about, eh?"

"Mostly. Kind of. The more the drug wears off, the more I remember of yesterday." The detective stocked and closed his eyes shortly. "Hattori is right. I should have gone with him instead of staying alone", sighed the smaller teen. "But..." Shinichi shook his head and walked over to the armchair, coming to a halt in front of the thief, a small confident smile tugging on his lips. "I wasn't really afraid, you know? I've known you'd come, even if that sounds a bit self-centered. You just... never failed to be there when I needed you the most. Somehow I knew you'd come in time." A soft laugh escaped his lips. "That really sounds strange. Not as strange as you stalking me, though."

"I wouldn't call it stalking", protested the messy-haired teen half-heartedly. "I would call it keeping an eye on my most trouble-magnetic critic."

"Kaitou KID, my personal guardian angel", mused Shinichi with a lopsided grin. "Doesn't sound half-bad, I guess. Though, Sonoko would probably throw a fit at that."

"And now that we know each other personally, I can keep an even better eye on you!"

"Oi! I don't need a babysitter", protested the detective with one raised eyebrow.

"Then how about... a friend?", asked Kaito slowly.

"I think... I'd like that, Kuroba-kun", smiled the detective and nodded.

They went silent for some time, Shinichi sat down, too, grabbing his favorite book and starting to read. The thief observed him and juggled some random items in the air, noticing how Shinichi's focus went more and more from his book over to the magician.

"You said you liked magic. How about you come to one of my shows?"

"I only said that because I was drugged!", defended Shinichi, hastily looking away again.

"Oh, please!", begged the thief. "We're friends now, after all! What would I have to do to make you come? You can't deny you enjoy the shows I put up as KID! And this way you could just lean back for a change and relax, instead of always thinking about how to chase me."

"Mh... I would have an idea what you could do to make me come to this...", mused Shinichi.

"Yeah? What?", asked the magician giddily.

"You could invite me to dinner", smirked the detective.

Kaito blinked in surprise, before returning the smirk. "As friends? Or maybe a bit more?"

"Depends on how good you'll entertain me", hummed the Heisei Holmes, still smirking.

_~*~ The End ~*~_


End file.
